How do they do that? (the bonbon thread)

[Madsandersen]

Hello everyone, 

 

I see that you have been talking alot about Andrew Dubovik's techniques and one think that I am wondering; how is he managing to make the sheels SO shiny? It is almost like they are made of glass! Do you know what the secret is?

 

Cheers!

Mads.

Edited August 17, 2018 by Madsandersen (log)

[Rajala]

Hi Mads

 

Temperature is important.

 

Here's the short version;

 

For anyone lurking, what I've learned from friends about his technique to get a great shine with the cocoa butter;

 

He heats the cocoa butter to 50 degrees, cool it down with movements to 26-27 degrees and then heat ut up to 30 degrees with a heat gun. Then spray your molds.

 

Room temperature should be at 18° if I remember correct. Someone can correct me.

[Madsandersen]

So he is just using pure cocoa butter and then applying in a thin layer in the molds before painting with color and filling with chocolate? Applying the cocoa butter with an airbrush?

And thank you for the reply!

[Madsandersen]

I am also struggling with my chocolate, I got the tempering right for dark chocolate 49->28->31/33°C, but when I am letting my left over chocolate stand and crystalize I always have the fat bloom on top of it. But the chocolates made in my molds are shiny and nice, which must indicate that the tempering is right?

[Madsandersen]

And what would be the best for the chocolate in my molds, to let the chocolate crystalize slowly in room temperature or to shock crystalize in the fridge?

[Kerry Beal]

2 hours ago, Madsandersen said:

So he is just using pure cocoa butter and then applying in a thin layer in the molds before painting with color and filling with chocolate? Applying the cocoa butter with an airbrush?

And thank you for the reply!

No he's not - he's using well tempered colored cocoa butter to decorate. 

2 hours ago, Madsandersen said:

I am also struggling with my chocolate, I got the tempering right for dark chocolate 49->28->31/33°C, but when I am letting my left over chocolate stand and crystalize I always have the fat bloom on top of it. But the chocolates made in my molds are shiny and nice, which must indicate that the tempering is right?

 

2 hours ago, Madsandersen said:

And what would be the best for the chocolate in my molds, to let the chocolate crystalize slowly in room temperature or to shock crystalize in the fridge?

Both these questions relate to the latent heat of crystallization - when chocolate is rapidly crystallizing it gives off heat and can get so warm that it throws itself out of temper. So in the first instance - your chocolate is in good temper (hence molds are nice and shiny) but the larger mass as it firms up is giving off heat, throwing itself out of temper and giving the streaky bloom on top. 

 

I wait until I see the edges of the mold starting to firm up and get glossy instead of shiny - at that point they are starting into the phase of rapid crystallization and that's when I put them in the fridge for 10 to 20 minutes to carry off the latent heat of crystallization. When I can see they have separated from the mold - that's when I take them out. 

[Rajala]

I don't know, I haven't seen it. But I believe no. The cocoa butter I mention is the colored cocoa butter. But anyone who has taken his course could shed some light on your questions.

 

The leftover chocolate is probably in a bowl or something? There will be more heat to get the chocolate out of temper than what you have in your moulds. Regarding the shells/bars - it depends on the temperature you're working with. Bars contains more chocolate and generate more heat when the crystals set, and it might be helpful to put them in a fridge after around 10 minutes, for 10 minutes.

 

Edit: Better answer above my post.  

Edited August 17, 2018 by Rajala (log)

[Madsandersen]

Thank you so much.

[vtoselli]

Good evening guys! Im new here and im looking to learn and share some of my knowledge here with u guys about chocolate/bonbon making, especially when it comes to painting with cocoa butter.
Im trying to start a business focused on bonbons and i'd like u guys to give me some opinions about the quality of my work and some tips and tricks about new designs, etc.
I'm no stranger to the kitchen since im graduated in culinary arts and worked in hotel kitchens, but i have no specific knowledge in chocolate making, all i know until now is self-taught.
Cheers!

[Bentley]

22 minutes ago, vtoselli said:

Good evening guys! Im new here and im looking to learn and share some of my knowledge here with u guys about chocolate/bonbon making, especially when it comes to painting with cocoa butter.
Im trying to start a business focused on bonbons and i'd like u guys to give me some opinions about the quality of my work and some tips and tricks about new designs, etc.
I'm no stranger to the kitchen since im graduated in culinary arts and worked in hotel kitchens, but i have no specific knowledge in chocolate making, all i know until now is self-taught.
Cheers!

You seem to have the shine down pat!  Nice!

[Rajala]

Looks great. Hard to see if there are anything that could be better based on that picture.

[vtoselli]

27 minutes ago, Rajala said:

Looks great. Hard to see if there are anything that could be better based on that picture.

Thx Rajala! I live in Rio de Janeiro and i work without an A/C (for now), so it's very hard to achieve perfect room conditions to work with.
Another thing i've been struggling with is colored cocoa butter, since here in Brazil is very hard to find (and expensive) things like Chef Rubber, i have to create every color from scratch using base color powder diluted in cocoa butter. Basicaly is very hard for me to achieve amazing color schemes like ones i see on Instagram but i'll keep trying!

[Rajala]

Keep up the good work!

 

I always create my colored cocoa butter from scratch. I think it's better since you can control the colors better.  

[Madsandersen]

When you create your own colored cocoa butter, do you mix the tempered, melted pure cocoa butter with color powder? And how do you temper the cocoa butter? 

[Rajala]

19 minutes ago, Madsandersen said:

When you create your own colored cocoa butter, do you mix the tempered, melted pure cocoa butter with color powder? And how do you temper the cocoa butter? 

 

Look here, if you didn't see it already - 

 

 

[Madsandersen]

Thanks, I didn't saw that.

 

I would like to hear for how long you think some bonbons would be able to last and how I am able to store them the best as possible (they would contain some gooseberry compote and cognac ganache). I read dark place, about 18-20°C in an airtight container and they should be able to last for about a month or so, is that right? And would the surface stay the same (shine and colors)?

 

Thanks

 

Edited August 20, 2018 by Madsandersen (log)

[Madsandersen]

Is this cold vodka with ice cubes in? And tempered chocolate?

[Madsandersen]

 

I would try to make chocolate branches like this, but how would you do it?? 

[Kerry Beal]

1 hour ago, Madsandersen said:

Thanks, I didn't saw that.

 

I would like to hear for how long you think some bonbons would be able to last and how I am able to store them the best as possible (they would contain some gooseberry compote and cognac ganache). I read dark place, about 18-20°C in an airtight container and they should be able to last for about a month or so, is that right? And would the surface stay the same (shine and colors)?

 

Thanks

 

 

Depends on the formulation how long they will last. Send me a PM with some recipe specifics and perhaps we can figure out a number for you.

 

 

[Kerry Beal]

53 minutes ago, Madsandersen said:

 

I would try to make chocolate branches like this, but how would you do it?? 

Done in ice cold alcohol - see pics here 

 

 

[Kerry Beal]

1 hour ago, Madsandersen said:

Is this cold vodka with ice cubes in? And tempered chocolate?

yup 

[Tri2Cook]

It even works in ice water. Sadly, her blog is dead and no longer accessible but there was a post on the Playing with Fire and Water blog where she did a plated dessert for Halloween based on black forest cake flavors and actually made a little spooky section of forest. She did the mousse filled tree by placing the hollow chocolate trunk in a bowl of water and ice cubes and piping the branches on. I thought it was pretty cool at the time and gave it a try myself... it worked great.

[gfron1]

So before this fad comes and goes... Did we ever hear how this is done? Wasn't this something to do with baking soda?

[Kerry Beal]

1 minute ago, gfron1 said:

So before this fad comes and goes... Did we ever hear how this is done? Wasn't this something to do with baking soda?

Nope - but I’m working on it with some help from my friends! Close to success when I was north

[gfron1]

Just now, Kerry Beal said:

Nope - but I’m working on it with some help from my friends! Close to success when I was north

a whole bunch of people have already replicated it. I'm trying to chase it down on Instagram again - folks who are likely to share the technique.